Roof structure



Sept. 14, 1948.

A. SHAW ROOF STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 15, 1946 I INVENTOR.

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Patented Sept. 14-, 1948 1: none staircases Alfrefi *Shaw, GHicagoI -IH. \Atnpiiea-tion February ISA-946, Serial-Ne. 647354 3 'Claims. 1

'This"""i'nvention relates to ;a r.oof. structure refrainin panel sections imadepreferaloly of 'falun iinum or other light metal orlalloy, andass'ociat'edsupnortsof suitable shape such as chanltis an' ohject of-"this invention to. provide "an "inexpensive and "easily manufactured roofing structure," Iightin weight but of a durableiquality and greatstrength.

Another o bject is to provide roofing sections "or units which j'anfbe permanently applied with ai'relatively "smallexp'eiiditure of time and labor.

Anothen'object is to" provide roofing sections "or units which have associated with'each, as an integral part thereof, means of applying said "fse'ctionto the rocfingsupports, thus'eliminating the needfor separate holding devices such as nails, screws; orthe like, and the labor required to install suchholcling devices.

Another object" is to provide fastening means "forming an integral part of each section, which futilizesthe-weight and disposition of'the sections to increase the holding-action of the fastening'means.

- Another object "is to provide a roof structure which; in addition to the advantages mentioned, is completely incombustible.

Another object is toprovide 'ro'ofing sections onunits which are not only-easily installed but also' canf be removed, without damage, entirely "orin small sections it the need should arise.

Another object is to provide a roof structure which is of a prefabricated construction and-can tbesuppli'ed'in units of an desired size, thus "eliminating the need for cutting or changing'the size 'or shape'to'fit any particular re-of area.

Another object is to provide a" roof structure With these and various-otherobjects in view,

"the invention consists of certain novel features of'coristruction and'operation which will be more N fully described and particularly pointed outin the specification,drawingsand claims appended 'hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments J or this-invention and wherein like reference-characters are used to designate like parts.

1 Figure 1 is a perspective View; asseen from bel'owfof a roofing panel section made in accord- "'ance withthisinvention.

Figure 2 is simian-view of a num-ber-of panel (CI-1 1508 13) sectionsfof Iro'ofing' .matrialsh'owing "their relative positions after the same arefplaced to constitute a roof.

Figure 3' is a transverse .sectio-nal view, taken 5 substantially along the 111163 of"Fig.ure,2, 1- showing two'adjacent panel sectionshf theil'typ i illustrated'in F gure I'a'nd'one means of interlocking adjacent sections.

Figure 4415- a x ertical sectional View, taken substantially alongmthe line 3-4 of" Figure" 2, illustrating the relative location" of'the panel sections, fastening devices; "and-roofing "supports. Figure 5 is a fragmentary. perspectiveview similar to Figure ,1, showing' an alternative'form 15 of"fastenin'g'tme'ans for"the"panelsections; and TFig'ure 6 is a"transverse"sectionalViewof two adjacent sections showing an "alternative method ofinterlockinga djacentsections. "Referring no-w to Fig'uri 1, thep'anel section .20"may"be* formed "of aluminum-or asimilahliQht inetal' oralloyihaving a're'ctangular, flat-surface sides thereof, and a side wall lEl=and"' fiang 'l2 ""on'thefourth side'thereof. 1 The flangelldoubles back" upon the side wall! 6 so as to 'forrn a narrow "channel "14 therebetweenl The channel has a "base lfiwhich iscf a Width sufficientto accommodatetheadjacentside wall t of a s'irii'ilarsection ivhenthe sidewall B is inserted in the channel I 4 of the first named section. The bottom edge of the sidewall E--rests in the"-channel in contact with the base i t, as shown in Figure 3. The

flange 12' "extends upwardly to a line just helow *an-d parallel to the plane 01 "the fiat surfaoe l andm'ay beslightly shorter 'at- 'both ends than theside ll from which itextends.

A holding means i8 is secured to theiflange l2,- and"may be-located iin the manner shown "iriFi'gures rand-4. 'The holding -me'ansds qaref- "er-ably formed-as rigid io-rc integralapart10f uthe panel section. The-tholdingzmeans:has a portion "ifi extending sdownwardly iii the direction of and J parallei to the side wall i H a distance equaL-to the height of side wall 4 .plus. the thickness-inf the upper flange 26-;of.the-channel .purlin lli,

as shownhin Figure- 4. T'h. holding means" 13 Mhastan. additionaiportion' 24 extending "at an angle to thejportiori 'fiand towardthe'Qside'B "of the section 'of' which it is 'an"integra1 part.

"As"shown' particulaflytn Figure 4; "the'supporting 'frain'eworkof'th'e roof to be used'in'ca rying out this invention 'isma'de up "of spaced channeled purlins 25-25. 'Ihesechannerpurlins are spaced at uniformdistance fromancrp'arallel 55 to *each other. As shown" in the drawingsj the panel sections are of a length slightly greater than the distance between adjacent purlins 26-26, and the holding means [8 is secured to each section at a point which is spaced from the upper end 4 of the section a distance substantially equal to the distance between adjacent purlins.

Accordingly, when the sections are disposed in relation to the purlins and to each other, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, each section is secured in place by the holding means l8 at the point 20 where the holding means is secured to the section. Each section is further secured in place by the portions 36 -36 of the two adjacent sections disposed immediately above it, which overlap and rest on the upper end 33 of the first- 7 mentioned section, as shown in Figure 2. The flanged edge of each section is also held in place by the side 6 of the next adjacent section which rides within the narrow channel I4 formed by the flange l2 and sidewall lllof the section, as described above.

The position of each section, when disposed as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, is such that one component of the force of gravity exerted on each section is parallel to the plane of the top 2 of each section, and this component therefore tends to wedge the holding means I8 into tighter alignmentwith the upper edge 38 of the next lower locking feature,

This self-locking feature is further enhanced said direction on the upper edge 38 of a section by the holding means of the next higher section, tends to displace the lower section in the same direction, which in turn results in a tighter engagement between the holding device It on the said lower section and the upper flange 28 of the channel purlin and upper portion 38 of the section below that.

This self-locking action, as shown above, is cumulative so that the larger the number of sections that are placed in a position above a particular section, the more tightly will be secured the holding device l8 of the first-named section.

The inside surface of each section may be covered with a sound and heat insulating material 40, as shown in Figure 3, by spraying with asphalt or similar material, with or without other materials admixed therewith. The same or similar material may be employed as a packing for the juncture of the side 6 of one section and the channel l4 of an adjacent section, whereby to insure a tighter fit.

An alternative design of holding means 42 is that shown in Figure 5. This means is so shaped that it can be secured to the inside or underside of the section adjacent to the wall 6 rather than the side having the flange I2 extending therefrom. In this case the holding means is so shaped that it will avoid interference with the flange l2 of the next adjacent section. This may be accomplished by having the holdin means extend I upwardly and thence downwardly as shown in Fig. 5. However, the holding means may be attached directly to the underside of the section at a point suiflciently inwardly from the edge to avoid all interference with the flange l2 of the next section.

If desired, two such holding devices of the type last described may be placed symmetrically on the underside of the section at the lower edge by the fact that any force exerted in the aforethereof and spaced a short distance in from the respective sides.

Also, one of the holding devices l8 of the first type described, designed to be secured to the flange l2, could be used in conjunction with one of the second described holding means 42 designed to be secured to the side 6 without the flange. Both holding means could be provided for each section in the afore-mentioned manner so that they would engage the upper portion 38 of two lower sections and the upper flange 28 of the channel purlin 26.

Figure 6 illustrates an alternative method of forming the channel 46, the flange 48 being an element of U-shape cross-section, formed separately from the panel section and having one of its sides 50 secured by welding or similar means to the inside surface of the side 52 of the panel section.

It is to be understood that this ap lication is not to be limited by the particular embodiments of the invention shown, as these are given merely by way of illustration and not limitation. Various and other forms of the invention will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the claims are to be given the broadest possible scope permitted by the prior art.

What is claimed 3:

l. A roof structure, comprising panel sections of aluminum or a similar light metal or alloy, ea-c'h section being a long, rectangular, flat surface with narrow vertical sides, one of the longer sides having a flange extending from said side,

r .said flange doubling back parallel to the side of which it is an extension and forming a narrow channel, between said flange and said side, wide enough to accommodate the unflanged side of a similar section, said flange'extending upwardly to a line immediately below the plane of the aforementioned flat surface, said flange being slightly shorter than the side from which it extends, a holding means secured to the said panel section and forming an integral part thereof, extending downwardly in the direction of the aforemen tioned sides and parallel to them, and of sufficient length to securely clamp the aid section and the upper end of an identical section, overlapped 'by and directly beneath the bottom end of'the first-mentioned section, .to the upper flange of a roof supporting member.

2. A roof structure, comprising panel sections of aluminum or a similar light metal or alloy, each ection being a long, rectangular, flat surface with narrow vertical sides, one of the longer sides having a flange extending from said side, said flange doubling back parallel to the side of which it is an extension and forming a narrow channel, between said flange and said side, wide enough to accommodate the unflanged side of a similar section, said flange extending upwardly to a line immediately below the plane of the afore-mentioned flat surface, said flange being slightly shorter than the side from which it extends, a holding means secured to the said panel section and forming an integral part thereof, extending downwardly in the direction of the afore-mentioned sides and parallel to them, and of sufllcient length to securely clamp the said section andflthe upper end of an identical section, overlapped by and directly beneath the bottom end of the first-mentioned section, to the upper flange of a roof-supporting member, said roof-supporting member being one of equally spaced channel purlins, and the spacing of the holding means on said panel section being such that the said sections will overlapthe next lower panel sections from the holding means to the bottom ends of the overlapping sections.

3. A roofing member adapted to be supported with other similarly constructed roofing members in an inclinedposition in a manner to bridge the space between spaced purlin of a roof-structure,

said roofing member comprising a rectangular panel of relatively thin, light material having narrow side walls depending therefrom, an extension on one of said side walls extending backwardly to form therewith a substantially U-shaped channel 6 upper edge of a similarly constructed roofing member placed adjacent thereto but below the same, said holding member further serving to hold said roofing member against downward movement in the direction of the incline of said roofing member and at the same time anchor said roofing member and the underlying upper edge of the adjacent ,roofing member against the supporting purlin common thereto.

ALFRED SHAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 414,069 Murphy Oct. 29, 1889 2,004,198 Fall June 11, 1935 2,150,217 Gettleman Mar. 14, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 98,7 58 Australia. 1924 

